James Cameron Says A Fox Exec Wanted Him To Cut Out The "Tree Hugging Hippy Crap" From 'Avatar'

By
Kevin Jagernauth
|
The PlaylistMarch 18, 2011 at 7:36AM

It's hard to believe, but the guy who made "Aliens" and "Terminator 2" is now Mr. Environment. With "Avatar," James Cameron not only took 3D out of the gimmick gutter but he also painted himself as a concerned environmentalist (though he remains blissfully ignorant of the waste created by double and triple dipping DVD releases and the endless stream of crap merchandising has created for the film; but that's a conversation for another time). Anyway, during the film's long gestating period it looks like one Fox executive wasn't down with all the hippie dippy tree hugging in the movie.

It's hard to believe, but the guy who made "Aliens" and "Terminator 2" is now Mr. Environment. With "Avatar," James Cameron not only took 3D out of the gimmick gutter but he also painted himself as a concerned environmentalist (though he remains blissfully ignorant of the waste created by double and triple dipping DVD releases and the endless stream of crap merchandising has created for the film; but that's a conversation for another time). Anyway, during the film's long gestating period it looks like one Fox executive wasn't down with all the hippie dippy tree hugging in the movie.

Speaking with James Murdoch (yes, the son of Rupert) at a panel at the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, Cameron reveals that a studio honcho -- since departed -- didn't see eye to eye with the director on his movie. “We were worried going into 'Avatar' that the environmental themes -- that went to a spiritually deep profound level -- would actually hurt the film. Somebody at Fox, not there now, said, ‘Is there any way to reduce this New Age, tree-hugging, hippy crap?,’” Cameron said.

Well that "tree hugging crap" is in the movie, so Cameron won that round but we're not sure it went to the "spiritually deep profound level" he's talking about. Anyway, Cameron will have plenty of opportunity to keep telling people to recycle or whatever with "Avatar 2" and "Avatar 3" which are in development for release in 2014 and 2015. [via Deadline]